Chicago Stars Fire Head Coach Marin Sjögren Amid Last-Place Season

CHICAGO — Chicago Stars FC is making a major coaching change midway through a difficult season.

The club announced Wednesday that it has parted ways with head coach Marin Sjögren and assistant coach Anders Jacobson. Assistant coach Karina Báez will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League season.

Former Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson is also returning to the organization as interim director of coaching, overseeing technical and analytical operations through the end of the season.

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The moves come with Chicago sitting last in the league standings at 4-13-1 and 12 points.

“We are determined to make our club a serious contender in the NWSL and have a plan in place to do so beginning now and leading into the 2027 season,” Stars President Karen Leetzow said in a statement.

Leetzow thanked Sjögren and Jacobson while also pointing to the club’s broader effort to rebuild the infrastructure of its sporting department.

Báez Takes Over

Báez is in her third season with the Stars and has primarily worked in analytics.

Before joining Chicago, she served as a scout for the Mexico Women’s National Team and worked in Liga MX Femenil as an assistant coach with Pachuca and Tigres.

She was named head coach of Pumas UNAM Femenil in 2021 and led the club through the 2021-22 season.

Báez will now take over a Stars team that has improved by one win from its 2025 total but remains at the bottom of the NWSL table.

Donaldson Returns

Donaldson previously coached the Stars during the 2024 season, leading the club to a playoff berth one year after it finished last in the league.

Chicago went 10-14-2 in the 2024 regular season under Donaldson.

He left the organization in April 2025 and will now return in a temporary front-office and coaching oversight role.

“This is a group of players I truly care about, and I’m very happy to return to the Chicago Stars for the next several months,” Donaldson said.

“I’m excited to reunite with some familiar faces, for the opportunity to meet new players, and I look forward to working together with the staff to earn some wins in the final stretch of the season.”

More Changes To Technical Staff

Chicago also announced that Nicole Lukic has joined the club as a full-time assistant coach.

Lukic most recently served as head coach of Spokane Zephyr FC in the USL Super League and as director of talent identification for U.S. Soccer’s Women’s Youth National Teams.

The Stars said Lukic will focus heavily on individual player development.

Her arrival follows other recent additions to the technical staff, including Kate Cohen as interim technical consultant and Garga Caserta as interim director of high performance.

Sjögren Lasted Less Than A Full Season

Sjögren was named head coach in August 2025 and joined the Stars ahead of the 2026 season after completing his responsibilities with Hammarby IF.

Chicago went 4-13-1 under Sjögren this season.

Jacobson joined the staff alongside Sjögren in August 2025 and also served as interim head coach for the closing stretch of that season. Chicago went 1-4-3 under Jacobson after starting 2025 with a 1-9-8 record.

The Stars return to action Friday at Seattle Reign FC before visiting Houston Dash FC on Aug. 19.

Chicago then returns home to Martin Stadium on Aug. 23 against Racing Louisville FC.

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